Tag Archives: Actionaid

Human Rights

16 Days of Activism: ActionAid engages domestic workers on GBV

Maravi Post Author

By Lovemore Khomo

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-ActionAid Malawi has expressed concern over many gender based abuses which domestic workers face during their discharge for duties in respective working places.

ActionAid Policy Coordinator Tusayiwe Sikwese raised the concern during an engagement meeting with Domestic Workers on 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence-GBV on Sunday afternoon at Bingu Upper Stadium in Lilongwe.

“Domestic workers face gender based violences because of their work, and its a place where they don’t want to be everyday but they do it for them to survive.” explained Sikwese.

She elaborated that many of the domestic workers continue to discharge their duties because of understanding economic problems they go through at home.

“It’s an economic justice issue and we want to impart knowledge into them so that should be aware of what to do and where they should go to report their cases,” explains Sikwese.

Meanwhile, Gender Rights Activist and Deputy Director for Malawi Congress for Trade Union-MCTU Jessie Ching’oma admitted about gender based violence cases in domestic working places, that victims remain silent because are afraid of losing the jobs.

Ching’oma vowed to continue the fight for both domestic and general workers in the country despite concluding the 16 calendar days of activism against gender based violence.

“Let me disagree on sentiments that we are concluding the activism against gender based violence. We always work 24/7 and 365 days on a year in advancing our agenda on GBV and here we fight up to the future.” added Ching’oma.

On the other hand, Deputy Director of Gender responsible for Mainstreaming in the Ministry of Gender Ronald Phiri expressed ignorance on Domestic Workers gender based violence cases, saying they don’t have statistics at National level.

Phiri pointed out that districts might have recorded the cases since they have some officers who are ably engaged into gender issues.

However, Deputy Director of Law Reform at Law Commission Robert Kandulu stressed that Malawi has no specific laws that talks about protection of domestic workers, hence the existence of Labour Relations Act and Employment Act both stipulates on general rights of workers.

“These laws also cover for domestic workers on safety and protection. It is very challenging to target specific workers, doing so then we might need to deal with other sectors which will required binding for both individuals and institutions,” said Kandulu.

Kandulu therefore advised domestic workers to lodge their complaints through Unions that exists to deal with problems in different sectors and enhancing workers rights.

Bertha Mateyu is one of the domestic workers who participated in an engagement meeting and she testified about different abuses faced during working hours.

“Sometimes I wake up at 3 am, I don’t rest, eat and work for unpaid overtime,” says Mateyu.

Development

ActionAid hands over Global Funds’ COVID-19 PPEs to Malawi partners

Maravi Post Reporter

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-ActionAid Malawi on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 handed over COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to its partners under its Global Fund COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) project.

The PPEs worth US$1 million (MK1 billion) including bicycles, hand washing facilities, soap, reusable masks and sanitizers.

C19RM Program Manager, Dalitso Kuphanga said the project is supporting countries to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on programs to fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria and initiates urgent improvements in health and community systems.

Kuphanga said the Ministry of Health, which is the C19RM Principal Recipient, sub granted ActionAid about US$7.2 million (MK7.2 billion), part of which the organization used to procure the PPEs.

“The PPEs will go a long way in supporting our volunteers working at community level in HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria interventions.

We will be working with our structures at community and district levels, which include Community Based Organizations, networks for TB, networks for people living with HIV/AIDS and volunteers. These also support the structures of the Ministry of Health and those belonging to the sub sub recipients.

We will make sure that all these are part of the process of distribution of the PPEs so they are able to follow up if the equipment reach the intended beneficiaries and used for the intended purpose,” Kuphanga said.

The five Sub Sub Recipients are: The creative Centre for Community Mobilization (CRECCOM), SRHR Africa (SAT), Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM), Malawi Network of People Living with HIV (MANET+) and the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM).

Country Director for SAT, Robert Phiri therefore commended ActionAid Malawi for the PPEs, saying they will help communities better respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact it is having on the fight against other diseases.

“The PPEs are crucial. Communities need to have the actual equipment they can use for prevention,” Phiri said.

Manager for Global Fund and GAVI project implementation unit in the Ministry of Health, Doreen Sanje, said her office expects that the items will reach the intended beneficiaries and used for the intended purpose.

“We are grants managers for Global Fund and GAVI resources. The MK7.2 billion we sub granted ActionAid is from the US$109 million (MK109 billion) which Malawi received in 2020 for the support of various Covid-19 interventions.

“We need to properly manage these resources in order to reach out to as many communities as possible,” Sanje said.

ActionAid Malawi, the C19RM Sub Recipient, is leading the implementation of the non-biomedical response in conjunction with five Sub Sub Recipients, to which it handed over the PPEs. These work with the support of CSOs, coordinating bodies, district and community structures.

Development

ActionAid, Her Liberty for Malawi’s girl child protection programs enhancement

Grace Dzuwa
ActionAid, Her Liberty for Malawi’s girl child protection programs enhancement

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Action Aid Malawi in partnership with Her Liberty has reiterated the need to enhance interventions that promote the education and success of a girl child in an increasingly difficult environment for many girls.

The call was made commemorated International Day of a Girl Child on Saturday in the Capital Lilongwe

The commemoration drew together scores of girls to enable them share their experiences and challenges with role models who inspired them to soldier on with their lives with courage and determination until they achieve their dreams.

Accountability and Gender Response Public Services Specialist at Action Aid Malawi, Yandula Chipeta, acknowledged that life remains miserable for many girls and called upon government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that girls are encouraged and excited towards attaining their goals.

Chipeta observed that the commemoration was important because it provided the girls the platform to access mentorship which would encourage them to remain in school and withstand the challenges they may encounter in course of their lives.

“We are already helping government in the construction of schools across the country that have relevant structures such as hostels and washrooms to accommodate girls so that they stay in school.

“We also have safe schools that ensure the protection of girls by reporting any violence against girls that may demotivate them from attending school,” said Chipeta.

She added that her organization has also established interactive girls forums and girls clubs across the country and will be holding girls conferences to give the girls a safe space where they would be discussing their issues and have an opportunity to get attached to mentors who will be guiding them on what they want to do in life.

Echoing on the same, Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Esnart Chapomba, commended partners such as Action Aid Malawi for their support to government, adding that emphasis should also be on provision of sanitary facilities for girls in schools.

Public Relations Officer for Her Liberty, Chimwemwe Mlombwa, said her organization was delighted to have given the girls a full day of joy, learning and excitement.

And one of the girls, Beatrice Galasiyano, a standard 7 pupil from Kauma Primary School, described the day as important because it gave her the vigour to begin to face head on the challenges she is facing in her daily life.

Malawi

Accountability & citizen participation in budget tracking & monitoring promotes good governance—Malawi Speaker of Parliament

Maravi Post correspondent

Msowoya delivering speech on accountability
Msowoya delivering speech on accountability

LILONGWE (Maravi Post)–Malawi Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya has said that strengthening social accountability and enhancing citizen’s participation in budget tracking and monitoring for equitable and sustainable development projects in the country promotes good governance. Continue reading Accountability & citizen participation in budget tracking & monitoring promotes good governance—Malawi Speaker of Parliament →